Last month Efe Ambrose and Saidy Janko played in what will be some of the biggest games of our season. It didn’t go well. Saidy has since moved out on loan, while Efe is behind Toure, Sviatchenko, Simunovic, O’Connell, Boyata and (maybe) Lustig for a place in central defence.
From that list, Simunovic and Boyata are unlikely to be ready for the Camp Nou, but O’Connell will be no less prepared than John Kennedy was 12 years ago when he deputised for suspended Bobo Balde at the same location. Central defence has gone from being our weakest department to our strongest in a matter of weeks.
My expectation is that Brendan will play Toure, Sviatchenko and Lustig as a back three, with Kieran Tierney and Cristian Gamboa as full backs. That will be a leap of faith for Cristian, who, only five days from Barcelona, has yet to even train with the club. He’ll arrive in Glasgow today after last night’s national team game in Costa Rica.
Despite this schedule, we should look to give Cristian some game time on Saturday, I’d be reluctant to throw him into the Camp Nou cold. This would allow us to rest Mikael Lustig, who played for Sweden on Tuesday, and who will need to be at the top of his game for Barcelona.
Another player who could do with a rest on Saturday is Tom Rogic. Tom has played in Australia and the UAE since we last saw him, eclipsing whatever jetlag Cristian will go through. I’m not sure Brendan will see it the same way, as an offensive midfielder like Tom may be sacrificed for a more defensive player at the Camp Nou. We’ll touch on how to attack later.
I watched Israel-Italy on Monday. Nir Bitton did well against a superior team; it was a good run-through for the Champions League, as he will be asked to play a similar, tactically disciplined, role for Celtic. As the game was Monday, I don’t think he’ll need a rest at the weekend, although we should perhaps consider giving him around 60 minutes.
Football’s a squad game, let’s remember that this week. It’s been nearly three years since we’ve been to the Camp Nou, these occasions don’t come round often, so we need to prepare properly.
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JUNGLEVIP
Watch out for the hun pub at Queen St.
Emzdi know when CL public sale goes on?
Is it tomorrow?
HH
And thanks, VP.
I might do a taxi, though I must day when I’ve taken a taxi to big games in the past the cab has struggled to get anywhere close to the ground …
ANTEARMANN
According to the website,no further sales planned.
http://www.celticfc.net/tickets
GERRYGUK7 @ 8:55 PM,
Well, I’ve got to disagree with pretty much all of that post.
Firstly, Saturday’s SPL game is not massive for us, far from it – let’s put it in context…
Winning the League is massive for us, yet the League is a marathon not a sprint, one game does not decide whose Champions, it is the best team over the course of a Season.
We are already top of the League with a game in hand, if we play to our potential and are consistent through the Season we will win it. I believe we have the Management and Coaches in place to ensure that happens.
To put the Barcelona game as our most important game of the week is no way Hubiristic or trying to underplay/undermine the SPL Clubs. We are a huge Club and European Football is changing, if we are to be involved at an appropriate level, competing with our peers in European terms, then we must strive to be a top quality team. Sure Barca are the benchmark but we should be able to take the field with them, look them in the eye and at the final whistle have earned their respect – win, lose or draw… that, is Massive.
Saturday is a Bread and Butter game that will take care of itself… Brendan knows what he’s doing and will put out a team accordingly; tactics will be established and then modified as required, the players will perform, substitutions will be made as required…
This stuff happens week in and week out during the Season. Sure every opponent must be taken seriously on the field of play but we are not facing our main challengers on Saturday, to expect a victory is not high handed and expecting Celtic to win the League is not arrogant it’s realistic.
The hubris and arrogance belongs to those who tell us a newly promoted four year old Club are our main threat and title challengers, not because they’ve earned the right as Aberdeen and Hearts have done but… well because… in another era, with another Club, they were the poeple…
Noforget that, the UCL is huge, that’s our benchmark, it’s the future not the past for me…
Hail Hail
VOGUE PUNTER
it’s called El Rincon de Pancho, on Valle Mendenez. Well worth a visit, we followed the advice of the waitress and were not let down not the best of locations but ideal for us.
Straws to clutch…….
1) Barca kick off their league game this weekend at 7.45pm CPT. So will have less recovery time and be more knackered than us.
2) They play Alavés, who are undefeated in their two games to date, so should test them.
That’s it I’m afraid
HUNDERBIRDSAREGONE
Good enough for me,bud-I’m sold!
Chairbhoy – correct. If we can see past the hype we are about to play a team no better than the three we’ve beaten already domestically.
Any team can cause an upset on any given day. Whatever happens on Saturday we will win the league. And they won’t finish higher than third and that only with a wind behind them (fair or more likely foul!)
Back to lurking.
BMCUW
I like your confidence, or as BFDJ would say “The cut of your jib”
HH
Anyone have any idea to the story WC is hinting at that the SMSM might be running with
Jmccormack,
You mention an eatery in Los Cristiano earlier. What is the name, please? I’m going there next month.
HH,
Celtic7
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 8TH SEPTEMBER 2016 10:12 PM
===============================================
Excellent mate.
BROCHBHOY on 8TH SEPTEMBER 2016 9:27 PM
If you get there early enough there is a carpark of sorts just off Nuneaton st. Your car will be looked after for a fiver.
A family friend runs it. Explain you need a fast exit. I’m not sure if he knows my moniker, try it anyway.HH
Yer dead, yer dead
Yer dead, yer dead, yer dead,
Yer dead, yer dead
Yer dead, yer dead, yer dead,
Yer dead, yer dead
yer dead, yer dead yer dead
Yer dead, yer dead, Yer dead, yer dead, Yer dead, yer dead, Yer dead, yer dead,
You are dead, you are dead.
Sung to their tune!
FAC the Act
KTF
Glasswothirdsfull
Yup.:-)
I belive world poverty would be solved if £1 was given to the poor for every time OF is mentioned.
HH
Bbctrustcsc
Ta boaby :-)
HH
CELTIC7
See my earlier post at 10.44..enjoy.
WINNING CAPTAINS on 8TH SEPTEMBER 2016 10:05 PM
Great to hear that the pub is stowed out and expanding .
Thanks for the excellent service provided for all, especially out of town travellers and sundry others from a` the airts.
The bouncers , altho` seldom required , do a fine job and must be congratulated .
P`raps a bonus on top of the living wage ?
Hope we all have a stimulating and successful weekend.
Hail Hail
GORDYBHOY64
It could be any number of things.
Photo of a guy in the hoops and covering story of “Celtic fan in theft/violence/fraud shock.
Ex-Celtic player (played one game for reserves) in “theft/violence/fraud shock”
Dermot Desmond and dodgy offshore money
I mind the time we helped them when Tosh gave Henke a black eye.
AN TEARMANN on 8TH SEPTEMBER 2016 11:04 PM
Enjoy your session in the BV tomorrow, spoke to BT and hopefully will make it next time.HH
Hunderbirds are go,
just his final sentence hinted at something a bit more serious
ROBERTTRESSELL @ 10:48 PM,
Yes, neither read, listen nor watch the hype as a rule… though in some circles it’s ubiquitious and some will be dragged in… WC is right, we should avoid the MSM.
When Rangers were liquidated their supporters had a chance for a new start; to put the bigotry behind them, too get rid of that feeling of entitlement.. to start to treat their peers with respect. To creat a New 21st Century Club that had the potential to be huge and successful in the fullness of time…
We could’ve been looking at a very different, very relevant Glasgow Derby on Saturday, something to look forward to…
They did not take that opportunity, far from it, they seem to have fashioned a new Club which emulates all that was wrong with the Old Rangers yet devoid of any of atributes…
Hail Hail
Gordybhoy
Seen mention of it being about Rodgers.
Haven’t a clue how true thou.
PROUDBHOY on 8TH SEPTEMBER 2016 11:24 PM
Gordybhoy
Crikey , think before you post
Sweetjesyshchristcfc
HH
Slightly edgy tale.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/14729110.The_dark_side_of_Old_Firm_encounters_will_always_be_with_us/
Proudbhoy,
nothing would surprise me, they would sink to any depths to have a go at our club, while ignoring the multitude of issues at the new club,
I’m on holiday so have no intention of reading any of them, and will not even bother watching the game, will find out the score on here when I waken up on Saturday
Hi guys. My workmate is going to Prague soon and is looking for any good pubs thatl be showing the Hoops games next month. Thanks in advance.
Dodgy stories in ra Hun meeja…..nothing new there.
Wont help them though.
Its on the park where it matters.
I see it like this….if our players show desire, we will be far too good.
Not buying all the sevco mythology, they dont have anywhere near our quality.
Sevco might get punished severely:)
HH
Anyway it will be good to the game at the weekend out the way and keep the chatter at work to an utter minimum
With a bit of luck in front of goal we are looking at 4 or 5 minimum , Scott and Moussa will run amok in the 2nd half when they run out of puff
Rollontuesdaycfc
CHAIRBHOY…
They always said we had a chip on our shoulder and we had good reason to.
Thems now don’t have a chip it’s a divot. I’m just glad both my son and daughter will be going straight home after the game as they have driving lesson on Sunday morning.
As for me, I’ll be in company after the game and won’t leave C/P until about six and I know they will want to head out to the town.
My daughter has warned me to be home by seven. :((
..
‘That moment when Allanis Morriset starts ringing in your Ears’
Telling People You are Ignoring something and then make Reference to that something 6 Times in One Post..【ツ】
Summa of IsintItIronicDontYaThinkCSC
Ps.. New updated Data of Actual CQNers on a *Matchday.. 0.002667%
* Data will revert back to 0.003% for Matchdays until 01/01/2017
SIPSINI @ 11:44 PM,
Sound advice from Miss Sipsini…
Things could become ugly…
But hope you all enjoy the game and home safe.
Hail Hail
Celtic men and wummin, I’ve been away on work related pash this week but would like to offer an apology for my wasting of blog time in the early hours of sunday morning.
Lurkingtiim, having spoken to you I retract any negative I fired your way in type or in verbal form. Looking forward to seeing you for the Man C game.
BTW, The Lurkingtim is looking for a couple of tickets for the ManC game on the 28th so if you can help then please do.
HH Celtic men and Wummin
This is the new me…………………………:_)
I’m away to burn ma bra and ma anal intruder.
ACGR,
None necessary…..Looking forward to it ;-))
H.H.
ps. ACGR is looking for 2 tickets…..sed he wiz gonna give me 1 ;-))
Still lurkin’……
Ha, just read my last line….a ticket ;-))
DoubleentendreCSC
FTSFA
H.H.